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About Earlham School of Religion

The world is a very different place than it was in 1960, when Earlham School of Religion was founded as a Friends’ seminary. But the Quaker values that form our foundation are alive and every bit as relevant as they were 50-plus years ago. Those values animate an educational and spiritual journey that we share with Quakers and committed Christians from mainline and emerging denominations.

Together, ESR faculty and students engage in rigorous academic study. We seek a deeper connection with spirit. And we use the fruits of discernment–a value at the heart of Friends’ principles–to experiment with new, vital forms of ministry.

ESR faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends are at the forefront of scholarship, leadership and renewal among Friends, and throughout the ecumenical world. We believe that ministry is the product of inner leadings that arise from the place that God converses with the deepest reaches of the human soul; articulating those leadings comes from personal and corporate discernment. ESR’s curricula and events contribute to sharpening our community’s ability to discern God’s word and share it with the broader world.

We invite you to explore our programs, learn more about theological education in the manner of Friends, and see why ESR has been selected a Seminary that Changes the World.